Now that school is back in session it’s important to remind high school and college students about the importance of safe driving. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports that fall is the most dangerous time of year for pedestrians. Refreshing your student driver on road safety is a good reminder for them to keep an eye out for increased pedestrian, bike, bus, and automobile traffic.
School Zone Safety
Remind teens and college-aged drivers to look for designated school zones. School zones generally have lower speed limits. Traffic violations in school zones can come with hefty penalties, not to mention the risk posed to children walking, biking, and riding the bus to and from school. It is illegal in every state in the US to pass a school bus that has stopped to let children out. When school bus lights are flashing and/or it has a stop sign extended near the bus driver’s window, all traffic must stop on both sides of the bus, whether the traffic is oncoming or from behind.
Campus and College Safety
Like school zones, college campuses tend to be areas of traffic congestion. Full parking lots and crowded intersections can make it difficult to see oncoming traffic, including bicyclists and pedestrians. It’s important to check the side view mirrors, the rearview mirror, and blind spots for bicyclists before making turns, opening car doors, and changing lanes in busy campus areas, especially at peak traffic times.
Schedule Repairs and Maintenance before School Starts
Getting your student’s car in its best shape at the start of the school year will help avoid unexpected breakdowns, getting stranded in an inconvenient location, and potentially even an accident. A little maintenance now will go a long way in avoiding time crunches at inconvenient times later in the year.
At Expressway Dodge, we offer new and pre-owned vehicles from Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram. We also offer quality parts and repair service to keep your vehicle running in tip-top shape. For more information, please visit our website or stop in to test drive one of our safe vehicles today!
